Suction cleaner



June 4, 1940. w H KITTQ 2,202,989

SUCTION CLEANER Original Filed Aug. 24, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORWilliam H [(2750 45 28 ATTORNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. H. KITTO SUCTIONCLEANER Original Filed Aug. 24, 1934 June 4, 1940.

IIIIIIII INVENTOR illiam b. [(3220 ATTORNEY June 4, 1940. w KITTQ2,202,989

SUCTIOVN CLEANER Original Filed Aug. 24, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORWilliam [YA 1710 ATTO RN EY Patented June 4, 1940 UNITED STATES SUCTIONCLEANER William H. Kitto, Canton, Ohio, assignor to'The Hoover Company,North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 24, 1934,Serial No.

Renewed June 2'7, 1938 18 Claims.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and inparticular to a new and improved vibrating agitator for a dusting toolnozzle of a suction cleaner. More specifically the invention comprisesan improved combination of electric vibrator and agitating elements in adusting tool nozzle.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improveddusting tool nozzle. It is another object of the invention to provide adusting tool nozzle including surface-agitating means which are drivenby reciprocating means of an improved type. A still further object isthe provision in a suction cleaner nozzle of a vibrator which is soconstructed that the cancellation of equal and opposite forces resultsin a minimum of vibration transference to the means of support. A stillfurther object is the provision in a suction cleaner of a vibrator inwhich a plurality of moving parts are so arranged that their forcereactions cancel. provision of a suction cleaner dusting tool nozzle inwhich two armatures move simultaneously in opposite directions andsimultaneously reverse their directions of travel. Still another objectis the provision of a suction cleaner in which a plurality ofsurface-agitating elements move simultaneously in opposite directionsbeing reciprocated by vibrating means in which the moving parts alsomove simultaneously in opposite directions and simultaneously reversetheir directions of travel. These and other more specific,

objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claimsand upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings inwhich preferred embodiments of the present invention are disclosed.

Referring now to the drawings in which the same reference charactersrefer to the same parts throughout;

Figure 1 is a showing of a modern suction cleaner combined with dustingtools;

Figure 2 is a section thru the dusting tool nozzle upon the line 22 ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a section thru the vibrator unit mounted on the nozzle,being taken upon the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse cross-section through the nozzle upon the line4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse cross-section upon the line 5-5 ofFigure 2;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section at the point of connection of thedusting tool hoseto the cleaner proper;

Figure 7 is a partial section, similar to Figure 2, through a secondembodiment of the dusting tool nozzle andvibrator combination;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary section upon the line 8-8 of Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic showing of the elec- Still another object isthe trical circuit of the combination suction cleaner and dusting tools;

Figure 10 is a section through a dusting tool nozzle similar to Figure 2and shows a third preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 11 is a section through the vibrator upon the line ll-ll ofFigure 10;

Figure 12 is a partial bottom view of the construction shown in Figure10;

Figure 13 is a transverse section through the connection of the dustingtool nozzle to the dusting tool hose, being taken upon the line |3-l3 ofFigure 10;

Figure 14 is a transverse section upon the line l4-I4 of Figure 10;

Figure 15 is a section upon the line l5-l5 of Figure 10;

Figure 16 is a diagrammatic showing of an electrical circuit for theembodiment of the invention shown in Figures 10 to 15, inclusive.

Referring again to the drawings and to Figure l in particular, afragmentary showing of a modern suction cleaner l is disclosed. Anelongated flexible tubular hose 2 extends from the cleaner and isprovided at its end with what is commonly known as a dusting tool nozzle3. In the operation of the suction cleaner in off-thefioor cleaning, thedusting tool nozzle 3 is thus directly connected to thesuction-producing means of'the cleaner and upon being moved in contactwith the articles to be cleaned performs its cleaning function.

In cleaner I the motor casing is indicated by the reference character 4and houses an unshown driving motor of a common type. The main casing ofthe machine, including the nozzle 5, the fan chamber 6, and the exhaustoutlet 7, supports the motor casing 4 immediately above the fan chamber6 and the lower end of the motor shaft 8 extends downwardly from casing4 and passes through the fan chamber where it supports thesuction-creating fan 9. The usual cleaner dust bag I is removablysecured to the exhaust outlet I and is adapted to filter suspendedforeign matter from the air forced into it by the fan 9. The cleaner issuitably supported by front wheels ll, only one being shown in thedrawing, and, as in the usual suction cleaner construction, a handle I2is provided down which the oncoming power leads l3, l3 extend and whichis suitably pivoted to the cleaner casing thatthe operator may propelthe machine.

The nozzle is the main inlet to the suctioncreating fan and fan chamber,but, in order that the machine-may be used with dusting tools, anauxiliary or secondary inlet I4 is provided which extends to the side ofthe fan chamber 6 and therebelow, as indicated in Figures 1 and 6. Inletis provided with an interior seat at its end and on its top surface withcontacts I6, l6 and l7], 07, there being a pair of each. Contacts ll,lll extend upwardly into contact with contacts l8, l8, of which only oneis shown, Whichare carried permanently by an insulating body [it at theside of the fan chamber and which are connected to the power leads l3,l3. Contacts H6, H6 extend outwardly and are so positioned that they areadapted to be contacted by contacts carried by the end of the dustingtool hose.

The inner end of the dusting tool hose, the main body of which is formedof a flexible nonmetallic material, is provided with a metallic sleeve2% which seats in the end of inlet Ml and which is provided on its topsurface, exterior of the seat in inlet i l, with contacts 2 l, 2 l, ofwhich only one is shown in Figure 6, which are mounted in an insulatingbody Ella. Contacts M, M and Mi, Mi make sliding contact so that hose 2can readily be disconnected from inlet l l.

Current-conducting wires 22, 22 extend the length of the body of hose 2,being connected at their cleaner ends to the contacts 20, 2E! and at theouter end of the hose to contactor rings 23, 23. These rings are mountedupon an insulating body 2% carried by a metallic sleeve 25 which definesthe outer end of the hose.

The body of dusting tool nozzle 3 comprises a nozzle mouth 26, havingsurface-contacting lips 21! and 28, and an angularly disposed elongatedtubular conduit portion 29 which encloses and seats on the hose sleeve25. Unintentional separation of the nozzle and the hose is prevented bya spring-pressed detent Sill carried by portion 29 which looks over a.circumferential shoulder 3!! on sleeve 25. Spring contacts 32, 32 arecarried by an insulating body 33 at the end of portion 29 and'areadapted to seat slidingly upon the contact rings 23, 23 in any relativeangular position of the hose and the nozzle, the two being relativelyrotatable.

On the underside of tubular conduit portion 29, and immediately in therear of nozzle mouth 26, is positioned a vibrator-containing casing Mwhich is removably secured to mouth 26 and tubular portion 29 by screws35, 35 etc. Within the casing a l is an U-shaped frame 3'6 which openstoward nozzle mouth 26 and the side arms of which support the polestacks 3W, 3i and windings 38, 38 of a vibrator assembly. The vibratorincludes two movable equal-mass armatures 39, 39 which are carried bysprings ll), M9 on the U-shaped frame 36, for movement in the same planetoward and from each other. The two armatures are connected through alinkage including an arm ll pivoted centrally to the rear wall of thenozzle mouth 26 and more specifically to forked depending arms t? formedthereon. Spaced arms 33, :33 are pivoted at one end of the arm M and attheir other end to the lower armature 39. The linkage arm ll which iscentrally pivoted to the rigid spaced arms 42, 42 on the nozzle, isconnected at its end spaced from arms 43, 43 to the upper movablearmature 39 through a pin and slot connection which makes possible thepivotal movement of the armature and of the arm about the difierentcenters.

The nozzle mouth 26 is provided with an aperture M in its side adjacentthe casing 313 and through this aperture the extension of armature 39passes. Within the nozzle mouth the extension is connected to andcarries a rigid beater element 45 having a rounded surface-contactingportion. To prevent passage of air between vibrator casing 3d and thenozzle a flexible fabric aaoaoee seal 66 is provided at the opening Mwhich is sealed to the moving armature extension and to the adjacentnozzle wall.

Current is conveyed to the vibrator unit from contacts 32, 32 by meansof conductors ll, l'l which extend along the conduit 29, being mouldedand imbedded in an insulating grip member 18 which surrounds theconduit. Upon entering the casing ti l, and before being connected tothe vibrator proper, one ofthe conductors M is connected in series withthe manually operable switch 419 which is positioned within casing fi lbut with its manually operable lever extended therethrough and operablefrom the exterior thereof. The switch is so placed that with theoperators hand enclosing grip member 18 the switch can be operated bythe fingers of that hand.

The electrical circuit embodied in this form of the invention isillustrated in Figure 9 and the reference is here made thereto, the samereference characters referring to the same parts as in the viewspreviously described.

In the operation of this embodiment of the invention upon the closing ofthe dusting tool switch M, it being assumed that the switch in serieswith the incoming power leads l3, E3 to the cleaner proper haspreviously been closed, electric current passes to the windings 38, 38.Alternating current is assumed. Magnetic fields are immediately set upand the movable armatures 39, 39 are drawn in opposite directions,against the force of springs ib, 4m toward the poles by the magneticfiux to reduce the reluctance of the magnetic path. As the currentpasses through zero the springs (50, it carry the armatures away fromthe poles and towards each other. Upon the increase in the current fromzero to its maximum value in each cycle of the current the armatures aredrawn to the pole faces. It is to be noted that this movement andreversal of direction of the two armatures takes place simultaneouslyand that, being identical and apposed, their movements are opposite andequal. The force of the two armatures is resolved into a single forceavailable at the agitating element 35 through the linkage mechanismcomprising the pivoted arms fill and d3, 33 which transform thedirection of the force exerted by upper armature 39 into a force havingthe same direction as the travel of the lower armature. As a result, theagitating element A5 vibrates relative to the plane of the nozzle lips271 and 28 to disturb and dislodge foreign matter imbedded in thoseobjects with which the nozzle mouth contacts, the disturbed foreignmatter being carried through the nozzle, and to the cleaner proper byway of the hose 2.

Referring now to Figures 7 and 8 in particular, a second preferredembodiment of the invention is disclosed which is like that previouslydescribed with the exception that each of the armatures 39, 39 isconnected directly to an agitating element d5 which moves in thedirection in which it moves, the armatures again being mutuallyconnected by the linkage comprising the arms ll and Q3, 33. The upperarmature 39 has been extended into the nozzle and the seal 46 has beenenlarged to include both armatures. A further slight diiference existsin that the nozzle mouth 26 is divided by a vertical internal wall 50through which the extension of the upper armature passes, the agitatingelements being'separated by the Wall.

In the operation of this last described embodiment of the invention thearmatures of the vibrators are actuated as described in the firstembodiment. Vibrating beating blows are delivered to the coveringundergoing cleaning with twice the frequency of vibration found in thefirst embodiment because of the fact that two agitating elements areprovided and a blow is delivered to the covering as each armature movesdownwardly, the armature and elements moving in opposite directions andsimultaneously reversing their directions of travel. The total force ofthe two armatures moving in opposite directions is effective upon eachbeater element as the two are interconnected by the linkage comprisingthe arms 4| and. 43, 43.

Referring now to Figures 10 to 16, inclusive, a

' third preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed. In thisembodiment a single field pole 5| is positioned centrally of thevibrator casing 34, being mounted there by spaced vertical posts 52, 52which extend between the spaced arms of the U-shaped frame 36. The fieldwinding 38 encircles the pole 5|, being carried thereby. The movablearmatures 39, 39 are positioned upon the opposite sides of the statorcomprising the pole winding, being supported there by a single loopspring 53 which extends rearwardly to be imbedded in a fixed body 54 ofa resilient material secured at the rear of the frame. Leaf springs 55,55 are carried by and extend to the sides of armature-supporting spring53 which are contacted by adjustable screws 56, 55. Variation of thepressure exerted upon the springs 55, 55 by the screws serves to varythe spring load and to determine the extent of armature movement.

Armatures 39, 39 are connected to a single agitating element 45 withinthe nozzle, as in the first embodiment, and the upper armature 39 isconnected through the pivoted linkage comprising arms 4| and 43, 43. Thepresence of the rubber body 54 has resulted in the shifting of thecontrolling switch 49 from the end of the casing 34 to the side, asshown in Figure 15.

In operation thisembodiment of the invention functions quite similarlyto the first embodiment. Upon the passage of electric current throughthe cleaner with the dusting tool hose attached thereto, current iscarried through the hose by the connections described to the field coil38. The setting up of the magnetic field causes the movable armatures39, 39 to move toward each other and toward the pole 5| which ispositioned between them. Upon the passage of the current through zero,an alternating current being assumed, the mounting spring 53 moves thearmatures apart and the operation is repeated with each cycle of thealternating current or in multiples thereof. The movement of thearmatures result in the reciprocation of the beating element 45 in themanner described in the first embodiment. The electrical circuit of thislast embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figure 16.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner nozzle unit, air-conducting means adapted to beconnected to suction-creating means, a nozzle open to said airconductingmeans, a surface-agitating element connected to and positioned tocooperate with said nozzle in the cleaning operation, and means toreciprocate said element at high frequency connected thereto andincluding a plurality of opposed reciprocating armatures always movingin opposite directions thereby providing cancelling force reactions,whereby said unit other than said element receives a minimum ofvibration.

2. In a suction cleaner unit, air-conducting means adapted to beconnected to suction-creating means, a nozzle open to saidair-conducting means, an agitating element connected to and arranged tocooperate with said nozzle, and means to reciprocate said element athigh frequency, including a stationary part and moving parts actuatedthereby and connected to said element, said moving parts including apair of alined reciprocatingarmatures mounted in juxtaposition formovement toward and from each other and constantly moving in oppositedirections, whereby a minimum of vibration is imparted to saidstationary part.

3. In a suction cleaner unit, air-conducting means adapted to beconnected to suction-creating means, a nozzle open to saidair-conducting means, an agitating element connected to and ar-- rangedto cooperate with said nozzle, and means to reciprocate said element athigh frequency, including a stationary part and moving parts actuatedthereby and connected to said element, said moving parts including apair of apposed reciprocating armatures of equal masses mounted forequal displacements and constantly moving in opposite directions,whereby a minimum of vibration is imparted to said stationary part.

4. In a suction cleaner unit, air-conducting means adapted to beconnected to suction-creating means, a nozzle open to saidair-conducting means, an agitating element adapted to cooperate withsaid nozzle, and means to reciprocate said element at high frequency,including a stationary part and moving parts electrically actuatedthereby, said stationary part being connected to said nozzle, saidmoving parts being connected to said agitating element and including apair of connected reciprocating armatures mounted for movement towardand from each other and exerting equal and oppositely directed forcesupon said stationary part', whereby said stationary part and said nozzlereceive a. minimum of vibration.

5. In a suction cleaner unit, suction creating means, air-conductingmeans connected to said suction creating means, a nozzle open to saidairconducting means, an agitating element operatively related to saidnozzle, and means to reciprocate said element at high frequency,includingstationary parts and moving parts, said stationary partsincluding a pair of spaced poles and windings, said moving parts beingconnected to said element and including an armature for each of saidpoles, said armatures being alined and constantly moving in oppositedirections and toward and from each other, whereby a minimum ofvibration is imparted to said stationary par-ts.

6. In a suction cleaner unit, suction-creating means, air-conductingmeans connected to said suction-creating means, a nozzle open to saidair-conducting means, an agitating element adapted to cooperate withsaid nozzle, and means to reciprocate said element at high frequency,including a stationary part and a moving part, said stationary partbeing mounted on said nozzle and including a pair of spaced poles andwindings through which alternating current passes, said moving partbeing connected to said element and including alined and apposedarmatures movable toward and from said poles and toward and from eachother in synchronism and traveling in opposite directions at any giveninstant, whereby a.

minimum of vibration is imparted to said stationary part and to saidnozzle.

'7. In a suction cleaner unit, air-conducting means connected to saidsuction-creating means, a nozzle open to said air-conducting means, anagitating element arranged to cooperate with said nozzle, and means toreciprocate said element at high frequency, including a stationary partand a moving part, said stationary part including an alternating currentwinding and spaced pole faces, said moving part being connected to saidelement and including alined armatures upon opposite sides of saidwinding movable toward and from said pole faces with variations in themagnetic flux, said armatures moving in opposite directions at any giveninstant and simultaneously reversing their directions of travel, wherebya minimum of vibration is imparted to said stationary part.

8. The construction recited by the preceding claim in which a mechanicallinkage connects the two armatures.

9. In a suction cleaner unit, suction-creating means, air-conductingmeans connected to said suction-creating means, a nozzle open to saidairconducting means, a pair of agitating elements arranged to cooperatewith said nozzle, an electric vibrator armature connected to each ofsaid elements, magnetic field-creating means to actuate said armaturesin synchronism and in opposite directions, said armatures being alined,ap-- posed and of equal masses.

10. A suction cleaner nozzle unit including a body, a surface coveringagitating element movably mounted relative to said body, and means toreciprocate said element at high frequency with a minimum of vibrationtransference to said body, said means including a pair of identicalarmatures, spring means movably mounting said armatures on said body,magnetic-field-creating means positioned between said armatures andadapted to exert simultaneously equal and oppositely directed energizingand moving forces thereon, said armatures being connected to saidagitating means.

11. A suction cleaner unit including a nozzle having a mouth portion andan angularly extending conduit portion, agitating means positioned insaid mouth and adapted to contact a surface undergoing cleaning, andmeans to reciprocate said agitating means positioned in the rear of saidmouth and under said conduit, said actuating means including astationary-magneticfield-producing means carried by said nozzle and apair of juxtapositioned equal mass vibrating armatures mounted forsynchronous movement toward and from each other-under the influence ofsaid field-producing means, said agitating means being connected to saidarmatures.

12. In a suction cleaner unit, air-conducting means adapted to beconnected to suction-creating means, a nozzle open to saidair-conducting means, an even number of reciprocating agitating elementspositioned to cooperate with said nozzle, electrical vibrating means tovibrate said elements in synchronism and in pairs the individual membersof which are displaced 180 degrees in time-phase relationship, wherebythe reactions caused by the movements of said elements tend to cancel.

13. In a suction cleaner unit, air-conducting means adapted to beconnected to suction-creating means; a nozzle open to said air-conductaoaese ing means, an even number of reciprocating agitating elementspositioned to cooperate with said nozzle, electrical vibrating means tovibrate said elements, said means including a separate movable vibratorarmature connected to each of said elements, said armatures beingmounted for movement in opposite directions, and stationary means tovibrate said armatures and the elements connected thereto with saidarmatures and their connected elements moving in opposite directions atall times, whereby the reaction forces.

set up by the movements of said parts tend to cancel.

14. In a suction cleaner unit, air-conducting means adapted to beconnected to suction-creating means, a nozzle open to saidair-conducting means, a vibrating agitating element operativelypositioned relative to said nozzle, an electric vibrator mounted on saidnozzle and including a vibrating armature connected to said element, aresilient spring movably mounting said armature, resilient meanscontacting said spring, and manually adjustable means to load saidresilient means to vary the operating characteristics of said vibrator.

15. In .a suction cleaner unit, air-conducting means adapted to beconnected to suction-creating means, a nozzle open to saidair-conducting means, a vibrating agitating element operativelypositioned relative to said nozzle, an electric vibrator mounted on saidnozzle and including a vibrating armature connected to said element, aresilient spring movably mounting sa d armature, a second spring incontact with said resilient spring, and a manually adjustable screwadapted to contact and load said second spring to determine the extentof armature movement.

16. In a suction cleaner, a body, a surface-contacting-and-agitatingelement movably mounted on said body for movement toward and from asurface covering undergoing cleaning, and means to reciprocate saidelement at high fre quency connected thereto and comprising a pluralityof aligned oppositely moving driving elements so arranged that theirforces are resolvable in a common plane whereby force reactionstransmitted to said body are cancellative to reduce the vibrationthereof to a minimum.

17. In a suction cleaner, a body, a surface-contacting-and-agitatingelement movably mounted on said body for movement toward and from asurface covering undergoing cleaning, and means to reciprocate saidelement at high frequency connected thereto and comprising apposedreciprocating driving elements always moving in opposite directionstoward and from each other thereby providing cancelling force reactions,whereby a minimum of vibration is imparted to said body.

18. In a suction cleaner, a body including a nozzle,surface-contacting-and-agitating means movably positioned in said nozzlefor movement relative to a surface covering undergoing cleaning, andmeans mounted on saidbody outside said nozzle and connected to saidagitating means and comprising a plurality of driving elements whichmove oppositely and toward and from each other so as to providecancellative force reactions to reduce to a minimum the vibrationtransferred to said body.

WIILIAM H. 0,

